CMU left tackle Jake Olson has surgery on broken wrist, will miss rest of season
The hits keep coming on the injury front, for the Central Michigan football team and offensive lineman Jake Olson.
Olson, who left Saturday's 24-21 win against New Hampshire with an injury, had surgery Thursday morning on a broken wrist and will miss the remainder of the season, a team spokesman told Central Michigan Life.
The 6-foot-8, 305-pound left tackle left in the third quarter with a wrist injury, returned and played in the fourth quater but later discovered his wrist had swelled up. He did not practice this week, and head coach Dan Enos on Tuesday labeled him questionable for Saturday's game at UNLV.
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This latest injury could effectively end Olson's career, one that has been hampered by injuries.
In 2010, his sophomore season, Olson suffered a season-ending leg injury three games in and was later granted a medical redshirt. He missed three games in 2011, but was relatively healthy for much of the season.
Injuries struck again last year, when Olson went down with another leg injury against Michigan State. He missed the rest of the season and was granted a medical hardship waiver from the NCAA, making him eligible for a sixth season.
Next in line at left tackle is redshirt sophomore Ramadan Ahmeti, who filled in for Olson last week against New Hampshire. Ahmeti played in 11 games last year, serving primarily as a backup on the offensive line and special teams.
Olson is the third offensive starter for CMU to go down with an injury, and second to be lost for the season. Senior tailback Zurlon Tipton (broken ankle) and junior quarterback Cody Kater (collarbone) both suffered injuries in the Chippewas' 59-9 loss at Michigan. Tipton underwent season-ending surgery, while Kater was given a 4-6 week timetable for a return.
Last month, during preseason camp, Enos seemed to hint at a possible pro career for Olson, comparing him to Eric Fisher, the No. 1 overall draft pick in last year's NFL draft. Olson was moved to right tackle last season in favor of Fisher.
"Jake's a great leader and a very good player," Enos said. "What people are looking for is him to put together 13 games healthy and play the whole season, and I think he'll have tremendous opportunities after the season."
Contact Aaron McMann: aaron.mcmann@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @AaronMcMann.
